Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking: The Ultimate Guide for Home-Scale and Market Producers

If you are only going to buy one cheese making book this may or may not be the one for you. If you want to deeply understand cheese making and take your cheese making to the next level, if you want to really understand each step in cheese making and how you can make it better next time or if something has not worked out quite right and you need to troubleshoot, this is the book for you. If you would prefer a simpler, perhaps less complex approach give Rick Carroll's book or Mary Karlin's book a read.The first half of this book is devoted to all the details which are very useful in terms of understanding the recipes and the second half is the recipes. The recipes are as presented cheese types rather than names you might be familiar with: 1) fresh, acid, coagulated cheese, 2) brined cheeses, fresh and aged, 3) white mold, surface ripened cheeses, 4) washed rind surfaced-ripened cheeses, 5) blue cheeses, 6) stretched and kneaded pasta filata cheeses, 7) semihard to hard cheeses, and 8) extra hard grating cheeses. Now this presentation style may have you thinking, "hey, I just want to make XYZ cheese"; this presentation style is different from other cheese making books but it I think that it allows me to develop as a cheese maker and style my own cheeses in each category rather than trying to mimic my favorite cheeses. But, specific cheese names are discussed in the introduction to each cheese type to help you.While some newbie cheese makers might be put off by the detail, I found that I was able to jump in after reading the first half of the book with fewer questions and more confidence than I found with other books. Most questions are answered in the first half of the book or in the introduction to each recipe. The first half contained useful tips such as pre-measuring all of your large packets into smaller quantities to preserve the integrity of the culture as well as save money, pouring diluted Calcium chloride and rennet over a skimmer, how-why-when to cut the curd, learning that there is no perfect bacteria or blend of bacteria for any single cheese (that's super nice to know as you compare different recipes!), and so on. The first half is 120 pages or so jammed packed with information to help you be successful and understand what you are doing and why. It's terrific!Also, there are a number of tables and charts that are VERY USEFUL! The charts of cultures can eliminate some of the confusion regarding cultures used to make each type of cheese and what characteristics each can impart.Bottom line: Terrific addition to the cheese makers' library.

I always open my new books with an open mind and a positive attitude towards the author, with a willingness to understand their point of view. I also expect my new book to connect me with the author, to convey her emotions and experiences in a way that resonates to mine. Most of the books hit the par, some of them fail and I simply close them and put them back into the bookshelf never to be touched again.Gianaclis' book however has far exceeded my expectations, it is a book - a manual I will always refer back to.The first part is a bit more "technical" if you like, however I didn't have any troubles going through it quite quickly.The second "Recipe" section I found very attractive to read, accurate, detailed, and also sprinkled with beautiful pictures and delightful text boxes.The book radiates Gianaclis' passion for cheese and cheese-making, her willingness to share her lifetime experience with the reader.Before I started making my own cheese, I have researched the web for best recipes by various authors.My gut feel was to discard others and follow Gianaclis, and I was right on the mark.Every cheese I made so far following the recipe in the book came up beautifully.Thank you Gianaclis and congratulations, your book is a pleasure to read and a trustworthy cheese recipe manual.

Making cheese is truly an art that brings Artisan Cheese to all tables. Century old quality cheese making is everything in this book. You don't need a Science Degree to make cheeses. Our ancestors have been making cheeses for thousands of years with just a few basic utensils. I was not sure if the book would be missing important information regarding the possesses of cheese making. To my surprise, the book covers a start to finish for success and everything you need to know. I feel confident this book is all I need to make high quality cheese that would impress all cheese lovers alike.I am glad I got this one!Covers: Sanitation Recipes - Making Successful Storage Cellars - Testing Cheeses - Milks and Spices - Sciences and Safety - Formulas and Recipes.I recommend this book to any serious cheese enthusiasts and artisan home cheesemaking.

I am making a lot of cheese but am new at it and I just loved receiving this book! It explains a lot of concepts in easy to understand ways and it all makes much more sense. I appreciate her recipes. Would love a bit more detail on adjusting recipes such as, "If you're using raw milk, do this. If you're using goat milk instead of goat milk for this recipe, make these changes". Would also love more info and photos about best mold options for each recipe....either in the book or at a companion website. Bu these are only comments about what would make this book a totally stand alone book for a cheesemaker. I hope to buy her other book sometime soon.If you are interested in making cheese, buy this book. Unlike some other books it tells you why to do things a certain way and where there's a wider range of options. It also helps train you to assess and respond to situations during a make. I also appreciate that this isn't a book by a company that wants you to buy their products and puts their product in every recipe. Caldwell is a farmer and cheesemaker herself and it shows on every page.PLUS....I always get a giggle at her working title for a cheese she was working on that is wrapped in fig leaves. The title was "Adam's Package"! Gotta giggle at that!!!

There are many beginner cheesemaking books available that are very good, but there is a desert when it comes to intermediate home/hobbiest level material. This book fills that gap and provides excellent information to grow as a cheesemaker.